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SISIS Praised At Shrewsbury School

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SISIS Praised At Shrewsbury School: Andy Richards, grounds manager at Shrewsbury School, has reported excellent results from using a range of SISIS turf maintenance equipment to look after the School’s widely praised sports pitches.

Shrewsbury School is one of the country’s leading co-educational independent schools for 13-18-year-olds and attracts boys and girls from all over the country. It is one of the original seven public schools as defined by the Public Schools Act 1868, and its impressive list of previous pupils boasts a certain Mr Charles Darwin. In line with the work of its most famous “Old Salopian”, the school continues to evolve in a dynamic way, achieving both outstanding academic and sporting results.

SISIS Praised At Shrewsbury School

“We have a good blend of academics and sports at Shrewsbury School,” says Andy. “Sport is a massive part of the School and there is a very strong house sport system – in fact the students are willing to run through a brick wall for their school and their house in sporting competitions!”

It is for this reason that Andy and his team leave absolutely no stone un-turned when it comes to preparing and maintaining sports pitches of the highest standard. In fact, cricket-writer Sir Neville Cardus once famously described them as “the most beautiful playing fields in the world, spreading and imperceptibly mingling with the pasture land of Shropshire”. However, these truly wonderful facilities don’t come easily.

Andy and his team work tirelessly throughout the year to provide sports pitches of the highest quality, and when it comes to his cricket wickets he puts his faith in the SISIS Auto Rotorake MK5

“We use the Auto Rotorake specifically for cricket because it does such a good job,” says Andy. “The amount of material you can take out of a wicket with the brush reel and the verticutting reel sometimes needs to be seen to be believed. We use it all the way through the cricket season. In summer we do 30 match wickets a week and it will be part of the preparation for every one of those. From the middle of April through to the last cricket match in August we play host to approximately 250 matches and the Auto Rotorake is used on every one of those.”

The SISIS Auto Rotorake MK5 is a powerful self-propelled heavy duty scarifier designed for the removal and control of thatch on fine turf. It features a contra-rotating reel with specially designed tipped blades for clean, consistent cut and maximum thatch removal. As Andy says, a variety of maintenance tasks can be carried out due to a selection of seven different interchangeable reels.

In further discussing his maintenance procedures, Andy pin-pointed aeration as one of the most vital.

“We have one of the highest pitch usages in the country. On each pitch we average 10-15 hours per week and we’ve got limited drainage. Therefore, one of the most important things we do is aeration and we aerate pitches all of the time. Grass lives and needs air like anyone else,” he says.

Breathing life into Andy’s grass is his newly purchased SISIS Javelin Aer-Aid tractor mounted aerator, and he had no problem in running it past the School’s bursars – as he explains.

“It was the machine I wanted because I had previously trialled it and had good results. For example I Clegg hammered the pitches before and after using the Aer-Aid and had noticed a massive reduction in hardness. I know that the Aer-Aid had recently undergone extensive Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) trials and it came out with excellent results – which always gives you confidence and makes it easier to explain to the bursars why you want to purchase it.”

The Javelin Aer-Aid recently gained rave reviews from the STRI following a three month period in which extensive trials led by Dr Christian Spring were carried out. Described by Christian as “a very useful tool in a greenkeeper’s or groundsman’s arsenal,” the Javelin Aer-Aid is indeed becoming the number one choice for many turf managers looking for the best aeration results.

With 10mm diameter ‘tipped’ tines working at 75mm (3ins) spacing, air is introduced from the Aer-Aid at a rate of 88 litres (3cu.ft.) per minute. These air injection tines are specially designed to use the maximum air available from the compressor and produces clean, fresh air, while also ensuring that surface disturbance is kept to a minimum. The cam trigger mechanism ensures that the air is always expelled at the bottom of the tine penetration, enabling treatment to be targeted precisely and consistently.

“It’s a really good machine,” says Andy. “It’s easy to use and we can see significant improvements since using the Aer-Aid.

“For me, SISIS signals simplicity and reliability. It may be a cliché but the equipment does what it says on the tin and that’s what I expect. The machines are built to last and I’ve never had any problems with SISIS equipment.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

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Colwyn Bay Groundsman Praised

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Colwyn Bay Groundsman Praised: Elfyn Jones, groundsman at Colwyn Bay, recently received national praise for his effort on the club’s playing pitch.

The hard-working volunteer finished third in the EVO-STIK League Groundsman of the Year Award at a glitzy ceremony at the FA’s St George’s Park, and he also received a high commendation nationally.

Jones is in his third season volunteering with the Seagulls after previously holding a position with Warrington Town, and he has also assisted at National League side Chester at times during the campaign.

He spends between 25 and 30 hours a week working on the pitch at Llanelian Road, combining his time at the club with the tanning salon he runs in the area, where he spends 35 hours a week on average.

The league’s representatives were honoured after a series of on-site assessments at nominated grounds last season that not only looked at the quality of the pitches but also took into consideration the skills and knowledge of the finalists, their ambitions for the pitch, the resources available, pitch use and the amount of time they were able to work on their surfaces during one of the worst winters and toughest seasons in years.

More than 100 groundsmen from all levels of the game were rewarded for their work at this season’s ceremony in front of their peers.

League representative Paul Hatt, along with Brent Clayton from the NPL’s sponsors at the Frank Whittle Partnership, were also at the prestigious state-of-the-art venue near Burton to congratulate the 2018 winners.

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Rigby Taylor Renews Life At Lees Hall GC

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Rigby Taylor Renews Life At Lees Hall GC: When joining 18-hole Lees Hall Golf Club in 2016, Ian Whitehead knew that simply by applying common sense greenkeeping practices – coupled with the right amenity products – he would be able to make a difference. The badly-presented, badly-playing course was effectively “playing second fiddle to the club’s social/bar facilities” and members were drifting away.

Today, part-way through what Ian reckons could be a ten-year programme of improvements to the course, there is a massive turnaround with ‘lost’ members returning and new ones joining – to the extent that over 100 new members have signed up during the past year.

Rigby Taylor Renews Life At Lees Hall GC

With more than 30 years’ experience of greenkeeping in the Sheffield area, starting on a YTS course at Hallamshire GC, then at Stocksbridge GC before moving to Hillsborough GC as head greenkeeper aged 24 – plus having Levels 2 and 3 accreditations in greenkeeping and Level 3 in management – 48-year-old Ian joined the Sheffield-based club “when the greens chairman wanted someone to help out the greens staff”.

Ian picks up the story: “I immediately saw that with a bit of TLC the course (tees, greens and fairways) could be turned around. So, within a few weeks, I had borrowed the appropriate machinery and I set about double cutting and getting some stripes in. I also instigated a regime of regular scarification and aeration (we’re on clay), and applied fertilsers and topdressing – a normal regime!

“In fact, we’ve applied a lot of topdressing – 80 tonnes last year and more than 100 tonnes this year – and we now also regularly Shockwave and slit the fairways.

“The first thing I did was to double-cut the 1st and 17th tees down to 10 mm – the tees that are in view when you arrive at the course. First impressions count!”

Andy Rossington, the club’s resident professional, and the greens committee could immediately see that what Ian was doing was working and they were very supportive by for example, investing in a number of new machines “that have made a big difference, including new mowers for the tees, greens and semi-rough areas”.

As a result, Ian was appointed head greenkeeper four months later, in November 2016. “That gave me a full winter to get everything organised and ‘tidied up’ ready for the new season. We’re now in the second season and we’re getting there!”

Support was not only forthcoming from the greens committee and Andy. Over a number of years Ian has worked with Rigby Taylor’s Technical Representative Mike Brear, who had put together programmes of treatments to benefit the courses Ian had worked on.

Rigby Taylor Renews Life At Lees Hall GC

“To an extent, I simply followed that programme here,” says Ian. “But these were old push-up greens and I didn’t want to ‘open them up’ too soon and too quickly, so I took a measured approach during the first season, waiting until the course looked a bit ‘tired’. Also, being north facing, this parkland course battles all the elements and in the spring suffers relatively slow growth rates.

Now, Ian applies his full Rigby Taylor programme, and he particularly highlights the Breaker Biolinks wetting agent which is applied six times a year as an indispensable product for Dry Patch prevention and root generation.

With an annual overseed of Rigby Taylor’s R105 Browntop bent blend, the current programme includes regular (twice a year, in April and September) use of Microlite micro-granular fertiliser, plus Microflow controlled-release liquid fertiliser in May, June and July, along with applications of Magnet Rapide liquid iron and Magnet Dynamic (turf colour enhancers, twice and once, respectively), Maintain NT plant growth regulator for dense swarf and improved root mass (seven times a year), K-Form potassium supplement (five times) and the Spike ‘tournament preparation’ mixture of potassium and silica (twice).

“These products have never let me down in the past,” adds Ian, “and I see no reason why they will now.”

He concludes: “There’s still a lot to do, especially with thatch levels on the greens and approaches, as well as work to the bunkers and the drainage, plus to the trees that shade many of the greens and tees. I think the approaches alone will take three to four years to get them where I want them. But I’m already seeing massive improvements in the fairways (through slitting).

“My goal is to make this the leading golf club in Sheffield, and with the backing of the committee and the members plus the continued technical support from Rigby Taylor, there is no reason why this can’t be the case.”

The last word is with Andy Rossington, the resident pro: “It’s no exaggeration to say that before Ian’s input, the first green here resembled the moon – it was desperate! But news of the improvements to the course has travelled, as is reflected in the boost to membership.

“Importantly, too, the greenkeeping team as a whole can now be proud of what they are achieving. Everyone here agrees with that, especially the golfers.”

BTME Registration Opening

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BTME Registration Opening: With registration for BTME 2019 due to open on Monday 8 October, details have been released about what will be on offer at the largest turf management exhibition in Europe.

Click here to register now for BTME 2019.

During BTME 2018 last January, the event hosts, the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association, revealed that the annual exhibition would be drastically transformed for 2019. A whole host of innovations and exciting new offerings will further evolve what amounts to the most influential event in the calendar for the golf industry in the UK.

BTME Registration Opening

And with registration for the event imminent, BIGGA is delighted to reveal that it has lived up to this promise, with an event that has expanded by 25% and that will feature a host of new conferences, forums, exhibition platforms and more opportunities than ever to network and gain valuable knowledge and experience.

Utilising a new hall layout at the Harrogate Convention Centre, BTME will feature 4,800sqm of exhibition space and feature Golf Course Construction Live!, a golf simulator competition, a new product and innovation area and a TED Talk-style theatre, where short presentations will be delivered by some of the leading names in the industry.

As always, Continue to Learn will kick off the week, with the education programme evolving to better suit the needs of BIGGA members. Taking place from Sunday 20 to Wednesday 23 January, the association’s Learning & Development team has put together its largest-ever package of education with more than 250 hours of education.

There will be a Deputies’ Conference, a Links Forum, an Ecology and the Environment Forum and a panel discussion looking at The R&A’s Golf Course 2030 plan.

Other workshops will discuss Gadgets & Gizmos, The Disturbance Theory: 10 years on, Work-Related Stress, while regular favourites such as the Turf Managers’ Conference and the Young Greenkeepers’ Conference will also return.

Last year, 50% of Continue to Learn workshops and seminars sold out within five weeks of registration opening, so BIGGA members have been encouraged to get their places booked soon to avoid missing out.

BTME 2019 itself begins on Tuesday 22 January with the ever-popular Welcome Celebration taking place on the opening evening. Housed in a new location in the HCC’s main auditorium, television presenter Naga Munchetty will once again host the event, which will see a number of BIGGA members recognised for their achievements throughout the year, including the announcement of the winners of the annual BIGGA Awards, revamped to coincide with the new, expanded BTME offering.

Throughout the show itself, which runs from Tuesday until Thursday 22 January, there has been an increased offering for members, including more social space for networking and a larger BIGGA stand featuring a Wellness Area where skin cancer screening, hearing screening and mental health advice will all take place.

Also on the stand will be a Membership Benefits advisory service, where experts will provide information for members regarding legal advice, HR, health & safety, volunteering and member opportunities.

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “The expansion of BTME arose due to the exhibition’s incredible popularity among our exhibitors, of which in 2018 there were more than 140 and we’re due to expand on that number this year. In providing more space, we were presented with an incredible opportunity to create a greatly improved visitor experience, further enhancing BTME’s position as the premier turf management exhibition in Europe.

“We anticipate BTME 2019 being our most popular event ever. By registering early for BTME, you can ensure you skip to the front of the line and increase your BTME experience to the limit, ensuring you won’t miss a single part of what promises to be a historic event for the greenkeeping industry.”

Click here to register now for BTME 2019.

Visit www.btme.org.uk for more information.

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First SALTEX For Consolidate Turf

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First SALTEX For Consolidate Turf: Exhibiting at Saltex for the first time this year, Consolidate Turf is giving every turf professional the opportunity to come to stand E195/E196 at the NEC in Birmingham and discover an exclusive range of balanced, energy efficient, liquid nutritional products for the perfect turf maintenance programme.

The Chorley based company manufactures bespoke nutritional programmes including core products Consolidate Plus+ and Consolidate Winter Turf Hardener, that provide the maximum benefit for individual customer needs.

First SALTEX For Consolidate Turf

Working closely with groundsmen and greenkeepers across the amenity sector has led to Consolidate Turf products being incorporated in the turf maintenance programmes at the majority of the UK’s and Europe’s most renowned venues including many Premier League facilities as well as Universities and Non-League and National League football teams.

Renowned Head Groundsman Steve Braddock said: “Following the successful trial last winter on one of our pitches I have decided to extend the use of Consolidate Plus and Consolidate Winter Turf Hardener onto our other pitches this winter.”

As well as these core products, the varied catalogue of the Anti-Stress Turf Range, Consolidate Range and the Renovation Seed Pack have enabled users to adjust rates to suit their specific requirements. This has been customary practice in the case of Links manager, Chris Ball, who has used the products to adapt to ever-changing conditions on golf courses.

“I have been involved in the turf industry for over 25 years,” Chris explained. “During this time, I have experienced various management techniques and practices at both Parkland and Links venues.

“I have regularly used the full range of Consolidate Turf products due to their diverse flexibility that subtly adapts and compliments our ever challenging and changing environment.”

By creating tailored programmes for customers any issues their turf is facing can be directly met. At Glamorgan Cricket Club, Head Groundsman, Robin Saxton, wanted to improve plant health and colour and did so through the use of a unique Consolidate programme.

“From the first meeting we have made tremendous progress and as things advanced through meetings we have designed and developed a completely bespoke and unique package for our exact needs,” he said.

“We have had great results with the renovation package. We have managed to integrate the programme on our cricket square and the results have been fantastic.

“Using Consolidate Plus+ on a fortnightly basis has helped us keep a more even colour and growth rate across the square without the peaks and troughs a monthly programme can give you. The addition of extra copper in the mix has kept us disease free even when we have had to cover the square for an extended period of time.”

Producing a range of nutritional products that are the catalyst for turf improvements for groundsmen on every budget is an important factor for Consolidate Turf. They strive to improve pitches for customers such as Chorley Football Club in the National League North with a natural pitch, as much as they do for Fulham Football Club in the Premier League playing on an SIS Grass hybrid pitch. “We are successfully using the full range of Consolidate Turf products on all SIS pitches at both The Cottage and training grounds. Right from the renovation through the season, the bespoke product range is aiding us to achieve optimum pitch performance across the board,” said Grounds Manager David Tatnell.

This has been achieved by listening to customers and refining individual choices that have become integral components in maintenance programmes across the entire spectrum of amateur and professional sport.

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